Here I go again. In order to commemorate the latest election results, I have to buy a gun with my "found" money. After a month of looking here is the best I can do. A 98% or better Ruger Mark II M77 .280 for $530 out the door. Might do a little better but this is about it at a local pawn shop. should I do the deal or wait for a better one. I have no problems with the caliber or walnut stock.

A 280 won't do anything a 30-06 or 270 won't do in reality, but it isn't a handicap either. If you handload you can very slightly do better than either, at least on paper. I've had a couple over the years and I'm not convinced anything you shoot will know the difference.

If you handload it is a great round that lets you shoot something a little different from the crowd. I wouldn't fool with it if I had to buy factory ammo.

I like the rifle BTW. Price seems a little high, but not horrible if in good shape.

Yeh, 530 is alittle high. I'm thinking of $500 OTD take it or leave it. I do love the feel and design of the Ruger Mark II and the .280 is the type of nonconformist caliber that I like. I have a .350 magnum in R700. At my age and where I live you can only shoot one rifle at a time. But where else can you plunk down some Federal "funny money" and get something solid that has a chance to keep it's value after we run over the "cliff"?

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